Griffin Lee Miller

HW #5
1. Why is Malcolm X skeptical about working with white politicians, especially
those in the Democratic Party?

Malcolm X is skeptical about working with white politicians because in the

past he has felt let down by them. He believes that white politicians make
false promises in order to insure votes from black voters and then dont
actually follow through on their promises once theyre in office. As he says,
1964 is an important year because It's the year when all of the white
politicians will be back in the so-called Negro community jiving you and me
for some votes. The year when all of the white political crooks will be right
back in your and my community with their false promises, building up our
hopes for a letdown, with their trickery and their treachery, with their false
promises which they don't intend to keep. Malcolm X is especially alienated
by the Democratic Party because he points out that they have held a strong
majority in both the House and the Senate and yet still have not passed any
of the reforms they previously promised when they easily couldve. He states,
In this present administration they have in the House of Representatives 257
Democrats to only 177 Republicans. They control two-thirds of the House
vote. Why can't they pass something that will help you and me? In the
Senate, there are 67 senators who are of the Democratic Party. Only 33 of
them are Republicans. Why, the Democrats have got the government sewed
up, and you're the one who sewed it up for them. And what have they given
you for it?
2. Why does Malcolm X propose turning the civil rights movement into a
human rights movement?
Malcolm X feels that the civil rights movement requires a broader
interpretation to a human rights movement in order to have it transcend
questions of domestic policymaking to a fully actualized effort for the
liberation of black people. Understanding the struggle as simply a civil rights
movement confines it to the jurisdiction of Uncle Sam, and leaves it solely
up to the United States to fix. He states, No one from the outside world can
speak out in your behalf as long as your struggle is a civil-rights struggle.
Civil rights comes within the domestic affairs of this country. All of our African
brothers and our Asian brothers and our Latin-American brothers cannot open
their mouths and interfere in the domestic affairs of the United States. This
is problematic because, as stated before, Malcolm X believes that the US has
mishandled the civil rights movement and perpetuated the subjugation of
black people in society. As human rights are a question established by
international powers, such as the UN, with a human rights movement You
can take it before the General Assembly. You can take Uncle Sam before a
world court. But the only level you can do it on is the level of human rights.
3. How does Malcolm X define black nationalism?

The thesis of Black Nationalism, according to Malcolm X, is, "Give it to us now.

Don't wait for next year. Give it to us yesterday, and that's not fast enough."
Black Nationalism demands that the black man should control the politics
and the politicians in his own community, and it will use force to enforce
those demands. Economically, Black Nationalism seeks to restore the
community by working for our people to be come conscious of the
importance of controlling the economy of our community. If we own the
stores, if we operate the businesses, if we try and establish some industry in
our own community, then we're developing to the position where we are
creating employment for our own kind. Socially, Malcolm X thinks that the
black community needs to focus on uplift and positivity. He believes, We our
selves have to lift the level of our community, the standard of our community
to a higher level, make our own society beautiful so that we will be satisfied
in our own social circles and won't be running around here trying to knock our
way into a social circle where we're not wanted.

4. What does Malcolm X mean when he states that Americans have to choose
between the ballot or the bullet?

When Malcolm X says Americans will have to choose between the ballot or
the bullet, he is saying that either politics will have to reform to finally
accommodate and aid the black community, and black people can inspire this
change through political action, or, if these means fail, then the alternative is
to demand the same changes through resistance and a total uproot of the
civil society that continuously subjugates the black body and is built on the
oppression of the African race of people.
5. Why did many mainstream politicians and civil rights leaders consider
Malcolm X a dangerous and controversial figure?
Malcolm X was considered a dangerous figure because he famously declared
that equality must be sought through any means necessary, as Sartre once
stated. He felt that violent or radical tactics were appropriate if they could
insure eventual black liberation from white supremacy. While Malcolm X still
was open to the notion of working through the political system, he was
mostly alienated and felt almost fatalistic towards the idea, as he saw the
extent of the previous failures to do so. Thus, he was also somewhat
unopposed to the idea of radical or subversive tactics as an alternative
political strategy, as it seemed to be a more viable solution.
6. Which portions of this speech are most provocative?
There are a few portions of the speech that are very provocative. In one
section, Malcolm X describes a hypothetical act of police brutality involving
dogs against protestors who oppose segregation. He calls for, as a response,
the victims of the police to kill that dog, kill him, Im telling you, kill that
dog. However, the most provocative portion of the speech comes at the very
end. Malcolm X addresses the great controversy over rifles and shotguns,
where he states, its time for Negroes to defend themselves. He outlines,

Article number two of the constitutional amendments provides you and me

the right to own a rifle or a shotgun. It is constitutionally legal to own a
shotgun or a rifle. This threat is made much more ominous when he tells the
crowd that while he doesnt advocate for gunning down white people, youd
be within your rights I mean, youd be justified. This was almost unheard of
at the time, a black person opening the possibility for violence and direct
resistance to not only white policies, but also white people.